Kaine Statement on Firing of Nearly Half of Education Department Workforce

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Education’sfiring of nearly half its workforce:
“America has always been at the forefront of innovation and economic opportunity—in large part because of our strong education system. But President Trump and Elon Musk’s firing of nearly half of the federal employees at the U.S. Department of Education will hurt every student across the country. It will lead to longer processing times for students’ financial aid, additional problems disbursing funding for K-12 schools, and reduced oversight of programs for students with disabilities and laws regarding sexual assault on college campuses. We will not continue leading the world in the 21stcentury if the Trump Administration pursues more federal employee layoffs and moves forward with an executive order calling for the closure of the Department. I will do everything I can to protect Virginia’s federal employees at the Education Department and the students, parents, and educators they serve.”
In February, Kainevoted againstthe nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education, in part due to her past comments indicating she would support President Trump’s efforts to abolish the Department.
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